Wheel carrier



' March 12, 1935. E, G. SPRUNG WHEEL CARRIER Fled Dec. 7, 1933 .W Il w atented Mar; 12,v `19,325

UNIED [STATES g WHEEL Carmina.

Edwin G. Sprung, Detroit, Mich., assigner to .General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application December 7,

i933, serial No. 701,275

2 Claims.. (Cl. 224-29) engagement with the shouldered seat portion of y Thisinvention relates to spare tire carriers a for motor vehicles, and has for its object the when an extra wheel is to be placed in or removed vfrom the well. Supporting the weight of the tire assembly directly on the frame relieves the fender yof considerable load and strain, and because of the clearance provided, the use of ltire covers for appearance purposes is facilitated;

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1` is side elevation of a front part of Va motor vehicle illustrating the application of the invention. Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line removable cap 5.

2--2. Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sec,-l tional View, and Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the hub support.V

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a .longitudinal side member of the vehicle chassis frame which supportsithe fender 2, having a pocket or well 3 to the rear of the front wheel. The spare tire assembly shown within the well for illustrative purposes includes a removable disc wheel 4, having a hub 5 closed by a.

The center of the wheel is opened to receiverthe usual wheel spindle and carries a series of stud receiving openings liA by Awhich it is fastened to the axle spindle.

vof the `wheel atrsa'id opening. At' its opposite end the member 7 is provided with an 'eye or apertured head 11 receiving a trunnion stud 12 on the cap piece 13 of the bracket 8 and resting on a shoulder providedby the reduced stud portion 12.

.A threaded bolt 14 at the upper end of the stud 12 retains inplace a stamped cup 15, which encloses and Seatsa coiled compression spring 16 the stud. To position the pivotally joined members 7 and 8Y relative to Yeach other, the undersideof the head 11 may be provided witha pair oi radial grooves 17 spaced 901 or at any other convenient ang-lefto receive a key or pin 18 fitted in atransverse opening 20 inthe cap piece 13,`so as .to project slightly above the shouldered seat. Lifting the head slightly against the springl allows the hub engaging member 7 to be swung on its stud 12 from the position illustrated in the drawing to beyond the vertical" sidelines of the fender well so as to eliminate obstruction at the well for-the insertionv andY removal or" the ,spareV tire. Y l .Y i

To clamp the spare wheel against theface plate 9. and also hold the hub engaging member 7 against accidental displacement, there is provided a relatively long bolt 21 which passes through one of the stud openings 6 in the wheel and throughv an alined openingV in the plate 9, with .its inner end screw threadedly engaged withan opening in the cap piece 13. For use either in conjunction with the clamping bolt 21v orV as an optional device, there'may be providedv a cam 22 on the pivotstud 23 to engage with the inner .edgeof the spindle opening' in the wheel at a point-diametrically opposite that received within the boss 10. The cam is preferably provided with a retaining lip 24 and with a polygonal head 25 for engagement with a suitable operating tool.

To lock the parts against theft, any suitable means may be provided to prevent detachment of the wheel at its hub. For example, the removable, hub cap 5 kconcealing theV attachments may be locked against separation or elseeither a or both-the retaining means 21 andv25 maybev enclosed within suitablel lock casing units of a well known type. When the parts areso secured against theft, removal of the Ytire vcasing fromV the rim also will be precluded, inasmuch asthef rim extends .deep intothe well and prevents theY casing from being worked free.

vI claim: v l 1. A spare wheel carrier for motor vehicles including in combination with a fender well,mea'ns4 to carry the entire weight of a spare wheel posi-A tioned within thewell, said meansV comprising a fixed frame bracket extending upwardly at one side of the kwell and terminating in a trunnion stud which projects radially of the wheel axis; a laterally .projecting wheelhub. engaging arm having at 'one end a` vertical plate extending across the central opening inthe wheel hub with spaced seats for the hub and at itsv other` end an apertured head sleeved upon said trunnion stud to provide a pivotal connection whereby the arm and end plate may be swung between positions within and outside the longitudinal side lines of the well, and a long stud adapted to extend parallel tothe arm and through alined openings in the end plate and wheel hub with one end detachably engaged with the fixed frame bracket.

2. In combination, a fender well to receive a spare wheel assembly, a xed frame bracket extending upwardly beside the Well, a wheel hub engaging arm pivoted to said bracket for swinging movement about a Vertical axis to positions inside and outside the vertical plane of the well, wheel supporting means on the free end of said swinging arm, and a long bolt extending in spaced substantially parallel relation to said arm and between the free end thereof and the fixed frame bracket and detachably connected Vto the fixed frame bracket and arm to hold the arm in wheel hub engaging position.

' EDWIN' G. SPRUNG. 

